Apparatuses and methods for sharing transmission vias for memory devices

ABSTRACT

Apparatuses and methods for transmitting die state information between a plurality of dies are described. An example apparatus includes: a plurality of dies, wherein each die of the plurality of dies includes a first through electrode and a second through electrode; a first path including the first electrodes of the plurality of dies in series; and a second path including the first electrodes of the plurality of dies in series. The first path transmits first internal state information related to a first state of at least one die of the plurality of dies. The second path transmits second internal state information related to a second state of at least one die of the plurality of dies.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS(S)

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/442,501filed Feb. 24, 2017, which is incorporated herein by reference, in itsentirety, for any purpose.

BACKGROUND

High data reliability, high speed of memory access, lower powerconsumption and reduced chip size are features that are demanded fromsemiconductor memory. In recent years, three-dimensional (3D) memorydevices by stacking dies vertically and interconnecting the dies usingthrough-silicon vias (TSVs) have been introduced. Benefits of the 3Dmemory devices include a plurality of dies stacked with a large numberof vertical vias between the plurality of dies and memory controller,which allow wide bandwidth buses with high transfer rates betweenfunctional blocks in the plurality of dies, and a considerably smallerfootprint. Thus, the 3D memory devices contribute to large memorycapacity, higher memory access speed and chip size reduction. The 3Dmemory devices include Hybrid Memory Cube (HMC) and High BandwidthMemory (HBM).

In the 3D memory devices above, the plurality of dies connected usingthrough silicon vias (TSVs) are in Master-Slave (MS) configuration. Amaster die (MD) (e.g., an interface die) receives commands and data froma system, and transmits the commands and the data to a destination die.The destination die may be the master die itself or one of a pluralityof slave dies (SDs) (e.g., a plurality of core dies) based on a chipidentifier indicating the destination die that is received along withthe command.

Each die of the master die and the plurality of the slave dies maygenerate internal state information. For example, the internal stateinformation may indicate an active state of a die when a bank associatedwith the die is activated and any external load mode register command isconfigured to be ignored. Another example is when the internal stateinformation may indicate an active state of the die responsive to acommand, such as a read command, write command, or auto pre-chargecommand, associated with the die is issued and the master die needs tokeep providing its clock signal regardless of the internal state of themaster die. FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of a conventionalsemiconductor device including through-silicon vias (TSVs) in aplurality of dies. The conventional semiconductor device 1 may include aplurality of dies 2 a to 2 h including a master die 2 a and seven slavedies 2 b to 2 h. For example, the number of the plurality of dies inFIG. 1A may be eight, however the number of the plurality of dies is notlimited to eight. The internal state information of each die istransmitted to the master die 2 a using the TSVs. Each slave dietransmits its one bit internal state information, and a plurality ofTSVs including one TSV to transmit one bit internal state informationfor each die (e.g., eight TSV0 of eight dies, . . . , or eight TSV7 ofthe eight dies) are included in a path.

Each die has a state information transmitter (e.g., a master stateinformation generator 3 a, slave state information generators 3 b to 3h) that generates a state bit signal (StateBit). FIG. 1B is aconventional state information generator 3 in the semiconductor device1. The conventional state information generator 3 may be the masterstate information generator 3 a, and/or the slave state informationgenerators 3 b to 3 h. A NAND circuit receives the active StateBitsignal based on a command and an enable signal en and provides a “logiclow” signal to a gate of a P-channel field effect transistor to set(e.g., pull up) a first voltage (e.g., a positive power supply) anoutput signal of the conventional state information generator 3 when aStateBit signal is active, and a NOR circuit receives inactive StateBitsignal based on the command and an inverted enable signal enF andprovides a “logic high” signal to a gate of an N-channel field effecttransistor to set (e.g., pull down) the output signal of theconventional state information generator 3 to a second voltage (e.g., aground level or a negative power supply voltage). Thus, the conventionalstate information generator 3 provides the output signal having thelogic high level or the logic low level, responsive to an activeStateBit signal or the inactive StateBit signal, respectively. Becauseeach die has the conventional state information generator 3 (e.g., amaster state information generator 3 a, slave state informationgenerators 3 b to 3 h in FIG. 1B) that generates a StateBit signalindicating its internal state information and a dedicated path totransmit the StateBit signal, a plurality of paths, including a pathincluding a plurality of TSV0s of the plurality of corresponding dies(e.g., “x” representing a number of the plurality of dies), . . . , apath including a plurality of TSVys of the plurality of correspondingdies (e.g., a number “y” representing a number of state bit signals),are included in the conventional semiconductor device 1.

The conventional semiconductor device 1 further includes a global stateinformation generator 4 in the master die 2 a. The global stateinformation generator 4 receives the StateBit signals on the eight pathsfrom the dies 2 a to 2 h and generates a StateBitGlobal signal. FIG. 1Cis a timing diagram of signals related to state information of dies ofFIG. 1A. For example, the signals may be the StateBit signals of dies 2a and 2 b of FIG. 1A. The StateBitGlobal signal is a logical sum of theStateBit signals from the dies 2 a and 2 b. Thus, the StateBigGlobalsignal indicates that at least one die of the plurality of dies isactive responsive to any of the StateBit signals from the plurality ofdies indicating that a corresponding die is active.

In order to receive the internal state information for each die, anumber of TSVs in each path is a number of the state bit signals “y” anda number of paths is a number of the plurality of dies “x”. When thenumber of the plurality of dies “x” increases, the total number of TSVs“x*y” in the semiconductor device increases. If the number of diesincreases to 16, 32, . . . , the number of TSVs to be included will besubstantially large which prohibits size reduction of the footprint ofthe semiconductor device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of a conventional semiconductor deviceincluding through-silicon vias (TSVs) in a plurality of dies.

FIG. 1B is a conventional state information transmitter in thesemiconductor device.

FIG. 1C is a timing diagram of signals related to state information ofthe dies of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a semiconductor device including aplurality of dies in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a semiconductor device including aplurality of dies in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 4A is a block diagram of the plurality of dies, each including anactive state information generator and an inactive state informationgenerator, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4B is a circuit diagram of the active state information generatorin the plurality of dies, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 4C is a circuit diagram of the active state information generatorin the plurality of dies, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 4D is a timing diagram of signals of the active state informationgenerators and the inactive state information generators in theplurality of dies, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Various embodiments of the present invention will be explained below indetail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The followingdetailed description refers to the accompanying drawings that show, byway of illustration, specific aspects and embodiments in which thepresent invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described insufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice thepresent invention. Other embodiments may be utilized, and structurallogical and electrical changes may be made without departing from thescope of the present invention. The various embodiments disclosed hereinare not necessary mutually exclusive, as some disclosed embodiments canbe combined with one or more other disclosed embodiments to form newembodiments.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a semiconductor device including aplurality of dies in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure. As shown in FIG. 2, the semiconductor device 10 may includethe plurality of dies stacked on each other. For example, the pluralityof dies may include a master die 13 and a plurality of slave dies 14stacked on the master die 13. Please note that the master die 13 and theplurality of slave dies 14 may be physically identical dies and themaster die 13 may be configured to function as the master die 13 and theplurality of slave dies 14 may be configured to function as the slavedies 14. Each of the master die 13 and the slave dies may be assigned aunique identifier (e.g., stack ID). The master die 13 may be stacked ona substrate 12. The semiconductor device 10 may include one or moreexternal terminals IS (e.g., one or more pads) which may receiveexternal signals and provide the external signals to internal signalwirings 26 of the substrate 12.

The master die 13 may include a substrate layer 31 and a wiring layer32. The master die 13 includes a plurality of through wirings 36. Forexample, each of the plurality of through wirings 36 may include athrough electrode (TSV) 35 in the substrate layer 31. For example, eachof the plurality of through wirings 36 may include a substrate terminal33 on a side of the substrate 12 that couples the substrate 12 to theTSV 35. The master die 13 may include an external input/output circuit(not shown) that is coupled to a plurality of substrate terminals 33.The external input/output circuit transmits signals from/to the outsideof the semiconductor device 10 through the substrate 12. For example,each of the plurality of through wirings 36 may include a terminal 34(e.g., surface bump) on a side of the plurality of slave dies 14 whichcouples the TSV 35 to a corresponding terminal 43 of one of theplurality of slave dies 14 facing the master die 13. The master die 13may also include an internal signal input/output circuit (not shown)that is coupled to a plurality of terminals 34. The internal signalinput/output circuit transmits data to/from the slave dies 14.

Each of the plurality of slave dies 14 may include a substrate layer 41and a wiring layer 42. Each of the plurality of slave dies 14 mayinclude a large number of memory cells (not shown, e.g., dynamic randomaccess memory). Each of the plurality of slave dies 4 may include memorycell peripheral circuits (not shown, e.g., sense amplifiers and addressdecoders), timing control circuits for adjusting operation timings ofthe memory cell peripheral circuits, input/output circuits relative tothe master die 13, test circuits for defect detection in a wafer testfor slave dies. Each of the plurality of slave dies 14 may include aplurality of through wirings 46. Each of the plurality of throughwirings 46 may include one or more terminals 43 and a plurality ofthrough electrodes (TSVs) 45.

The semiconductor device 10 of FIG. 2 includes an active stateinformation path 25 a and an inactive state information path 25 b. Theactive state information path 25 a, including TSVs 35 a and 45 a of theplurality of dies 13 and 14 in series, may transmit active internalstate information responsive to an active state of one die of theplurality of dies 13 and 14. The inactive state information path 25 b,including TSVs 35 b and 45 b of the plurality of dies 13 and 14 inseries, may transmit inactive internal state information transitions.For example, the inactive internal state information may be representedby a one shot pulse signal responsive to the transition of one die ofthe plurality of dies 13 and 14 from the active state to the inactivestate. The details of the active state information path 25 a and theinactive state information path 25 b are described later.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a semiconductor device 10 including aplurality of dies 13 and 14 in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent disclosure. The semiconductor device 10 may include the externalterminals 15. For example, the external terminals 15 may include acommand/address terminal (CMD/ADDR) 15 a and data input/output terminals(DQ) 15 b that is a terminal for inputting and outputting of read dataor write data. Other terminals, such as clock terminals, addressterminals, data strobe terminals, calibration terminals, andpower-supply terminals, may also be provided, but are not shown in FIG.3.

The command/address terminal 15 a may receive command and addresssignals. For example, the command and address signals may include aclock enable signal, row signals and column signals. For example, therow signals may include a bank address, a stack ID that may function asa portion of the bank address, a row address, and one of row commands,such as activate, precharge, refresh, power down entry, self refreshentry, etc. For example, the column signals may include the bankaddress, the stack ID, a column address, and one of column commands,such as read, read with auto precharge, write, write with precharge, andmode register set (MRS). The command and address signals may be providedto a command/address decoder circuit 28 in the master die 13, and thecommand/address decoder circuit 28 may transmit the command and addresssignal to a command/address decoder circuit 38 included in each slavedie 14 (e.g., slave 1, slave 2, slave 3, . . . , slave 7) by way of athrough electrode 24. The command/address decoder circuits 28 and 38 mayprovide various internal commands by decoding the command and addresssignals from the command/address terminal 15 a. For example, thecommand/address decoder circuits 28 and 38 each generates an internalread command, when the command signal indicates a read command. Forexample, the command/address decoder circuit 28 in the master die 13 mayprovide control signals MRWBufferControl and TSVBufferControl, based onthe internal read command, to a read/write bus buffer 21 and a TSVbuffer 20 in the master die 13, respectively. For example, thecommand/address decoder circuit 38 in each slave die 14 may providecontrol signals DRAE, RWBufferControl and TSV_FIFO/BufferControl, basedon the internal read command, to a main amplifier 40, a read/write busbuffer 48 and a TSV FIFO/buffer 49 in the slave die 14, respectively.For example, the command/address decoder circuits 28 and 38 eachgenerates an internal write command, when the command signal indicates awrite command. For example, the command/address decoder circuit 28 inthe master die 13 may provide control signals MRWBufferControl andTSVBufferControl, based on the internal write command, to the read/writebus buffer 21 and the TSV buffer 20 in the master die 13, respectively.For example, the command/address decoder circuit 38 in each slave die 14may provide control signals DWAE, RWBufferControl andTSV_FIFO/BufferControl, based on the internal write command, to the mainamplifier 40, the read/write bus buffer 48 and the TSV FIFO/buffer 49 inthe slave die 14, respectively.

The master die 13 may include the TSV buffer 20, the RWBUS buffer 21,and the input/output buffer 22 for read and write operations. Each slavedie 14 may include the main amplifier 40, the RWBUS buffer 48 and theTSV FIFO/buffer 49 for the read and write operations. For example, eachslave die 14 may include a sense amplifier circuit 64 and a memory cellarray 65. The master die 13 may include a sense amplifier circuit and amemory cell array (not shown in FIG. 3). Each slave die 14 may include amemory cell array 65 that includes a plurality of word lines WL and aplurality of bit lines BL that intersects each other. Memory cells MCare disposed at intersections of the plurality of word lines WL and theplurality of bit lines BL. One of the plurality of word lines WL may beselected based on the row address included in the command/addresssignals. The bit lines BL may be coupled to corresponding senseamplifiers in the sense amplifier circuit 64. One of the senseamplifiers may be selected based on the column address included in thecommand/address signals.

In the read operation, the read data from the memory cell array 65 maybe transmitted through the main amplifier 40 and the RWBUS buffer 48 andprovided to the TSV FIFO/Buffer 49. For example, the operation timingsof the main amplifier 40 and the RWBUS buffer 41 may be controlled bythe control signals DRAE and RWBufferControl, respectively, from thecommand/address decoder circuit 38, based on the internal read command.The TSV FIFO/buffer 49 is so configured as to capture and transmit theread data from the RWBUS buffer 48 to a through electrode 23 in themaster die 13, responsive to the control signal TSV_FIFO/BufferControlis activated, based on the internal read command of the command/addressdecoder circuit 38. The read data from the TSV FIFO/buffer 49transmitted through the through electrode 23 may be captured by the TSVbuffer 20. Then, the read data may be transmitted through the RWBUSbuffer 21 and the input/output buffer 22, which may be controlled by aDQ 1/O control circuit 27, before being output from the datainput/output terminals 15 b that are coupled to the input/output buffer22. The operation timings of the TSV buffer 20 and the RWBUS buffer 21may be controlled by the control signals TSVBufferControl andMRWBufferControl, respectively provided by the command/address decodercircuit 28.

In the write operation, the write data in a number of bits may bereceived at the data input/output terminals 15 b. The input/outputbuffer 22 may convert the write data received in a serial format into aparallel format and then may provide the write data in the parallelformat to the RWBUS buffer 21. Then, the RWBUS buffer 21 may provide thewrite data to the TSV buffer 20. The TSV buffer may transmit the writedata through the through electrode 24 to each slave die 14. Theoperation timing of the input/output buffer 22 may be controlled by atiming signal from the I/O control circuit 27. The operation timings ofthe RWBUS buffer 21 and the TSV buffer 20 may be controlled by thecontrol signals MRWBufferControl and TSVBufferControl, respectively. TheTSVFIFO/Buffer 49 may be coupled to the through electrode 23. TheTSVFIFO/Buffer 49 may receive the write data from the through electrode23 responsive to the control signal TSV_FIFO/Buffer Control based on theinternal write command in the command/address decoder circuit 38. TheTSVFIFO/Buffer 49 may provide the write data to the memory cell array 65via the RWBUS buffer 48, the main amplifier 40, and the sense amplifiercircuit 64. For example, the operation timings of the main amplifier 40and the RWBUS buffer 41 may be controlled by the control signals DWAEand RWBufferControl respectively from the command/address decodercircuit 38, based on the internal write command.

The command/address decoder circuits 28 and 38 may generate a state bit(StateBit) signal and an active die identifier signal DieActive tomanage states of the plurality of dies 13 and 14. For example, thecommand/address decoder circuits 28 and 38 may activate the state bit(StateBit) signal based on the command signal, which may indicatewhether the command is associated to an active state of any die. Forexample, the command may be indicative of activation of a bank and abank address is an identifier of a bank included in a die. For example,the command may be a read command, write command, or auto pre-chargecommand. For these commands, the master die 13 may keep providing aclock signal regardless of the internal state (active or inactive) ofthe master die 13. For example, the command/address decoder circuits 28and 38 may activate the active die identifier signal DieActive for a diethat includes a bank identified by the bank address in the command andaddress signals.

The master die 13 and the slave dies 14, each includes an active stateinformation generator and an inactive state information generator. Forexample, the master die 13 may include a master active state informationgenerator 29 a and a master inactive state information generator 29 b.For example, each of the slave dies 14 may include a slave active stateinformation generator 39 a and a slave inactive state informationgenerator 39 b. The slave active state information generator 39 a ofeach slave die 14 may be coupled to the master active state informationgenerator 29 a via one or more through electrodes 35 a and 25 a. Theslave inactive state information generator 39 b of each slave die 14 maybe coupled to the master inactive state information generator 29 b viaone or more through electrodes 35 b. The slave active state informationgenerator 39 a may provide an active signal to transmit active internalstate information responsive to an active state of a state bit, and aslave inactive state information generator 39 b may provide an activesignal for a predetermined period (e.g., represented by one shot pulsesignal) to transmit inactive internal state information responsive to atransition of the state bit from an active state to an inactive state.The master inactive state information generator 29 b may have a similarfunctionality as the slave inactive state information generator 39 b. Inaddition to a similar functionality as the slave active stateinformation generator 39 a, the master active state informationgenerator 29 a may have a functionality of merging output signals of theslave active state information generators 39 a, the slave inactive stateinformation generators 39 b and the master inactive state informationgenerator 29 b to provide a global state bit signal StateBitGlobal. Thedetails of the active state information generators and the inactivestate information generators may be described later.

FIG. 4A is a block diagram of the plurality of dies, each including anactive state information generator and an inactive state informationgenerator, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.For example, the plurality of dies may a master die 13 and a pluralityof slave dies 14 stacked on the master die 13. Please note that themaster die 13 and the plurality of slave dies 14 may be physicallyidentical dies and the master die 13 may be configured to function asthe master die 13 and the plurality of slave dies 14 may be configuredto function as the slave dies 14. Across the master die 13 and theplurality of slave dies 14, an active state information path 25 a and aninactive state information path 25 b may be provided. For example, eachslave die 14 may include a through electrode TSV 45 a in the activestate information path 25 a and a through electrode TSV 45 b in theinactive state information path 25 b. For example, the master die 13 mayinclude a through electrode TSV 35 a in the active state informationpath 25 a and a through electrode TSV 35 b in the inactive stateinformation path 25 b. The through electrodes TSVs 35 a and 45 a may becoupled by terminals 34 and 43 as shown in FIG. 2 and the throughelectrodes TSVs 35 b and 45 b may be coupled by terminals 34 and 43 asshown in FIG. 2.

In each of the slave die 14, the slave active state informationgenerator 39 a is coupled to the active state information path 25 a. Asdescribed earlier, the slave active state information generator 39 a mayprovide an active output signal, responsive to an active state of eachof the slave die 14 based on the internal command, and a slave inactivestate information generator 39 b may provide an active signal (e.g., onenegative shot pulse signal) for a predetermined period responsive to atransition of the state bit from the active state to an inactive state.

FIG. 4B is a circuit diagram of an active state information generator 50a in the plurality of dies, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent disclosure. For example, the slave active state informationgenerator 39 a may be the active state information generator 50 a. Theactive state information generator 50 a may include a NAND circuit 51that may receive a StateBit signal based on the internal command and anenable signal (en) based on a state of the semiconductor device 10including the master die 13. Responsive of the StateBit signal beingactive and the active enable signal (en), a “logic low” signal may beprovided to a gate of a transistor 53 of a first type (e.g., P-channelfield effect) that has a strong driving ability to set (e.g., pull up) aStateBitGlobal node of the active state information generator 50 a onthe active state information path 25 a to the first voltage when theStateBit signal is active. The active state information generator 50 amay include a NOR circuit 52 that may receive an active die identifiersignal DieActive. The active state information generator 50 a in theslave 14, as the active state information generator 39 a, may have anAND circuit 55 configured to be disabled, and the NOR circuit 52functions as an inverter that may receive the DieActive signal and mayfurther provide an inverted signal of the DieActive signal to a gate ofa transistor 54 of a second type (e.g., N-channel field effect) that hasa weak driving ability to set (e.g., pull down) the StateBitGlobal nodeof the active state information generator 50 a to the second voltage onthe active state information path 25 a. Thus, an active (e.g., a logichigh level) signal may be provided to the gate of the transistor 54 toweakly set (e.g., pull down) the StateBitGlobal node to the secondvoltage, responsive to the inactive (e.g., a logic low level) DieActivesignal.

FIG. 4C is a circuit diagram of an inactive state information generator50 b in the plurality of dies, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent disclosure. For example, the slave inactive state informationgenerator 39 b may be the inactive state information generator 50 b. Theinactive state information generator 50 b may include an inverter 56that may receive the DieActive signal and may further provide aninverted signal of the DieActive signal to a gate of a transistor 58 ofa first type (e.g., P-channel field effect) that has a weak drivingability to set (e.g., pull up) a StateBitOffGlobalIF node of theinactive state information generator 50 b on the inactive stateinformation path 25 b to the first voltage, when the DieActive signal isactive. The inactive state information generator 50 b may include a oneshot pulse generator 57 that may receive the StateBit signal and mayfurther provide a one shot positive pulse as a StateBitOffPulse signalresponsive to a transition of the StateBit signal from an active state(e.g., a logic high level) to an inactive state (e.g., a logic lowlevel). The one shot pulse generator 57 may provide the StateBitOffPulsesignal to a gate of a transistor 59 of a second type (e.g., N-channelfield effect) that has a strong driving ability to set (e.g., pull down)the StateBitOffGlobalIF node of the inactive state information generator50 b to the second voltage on the inactive state information path 25 bto the second voltage. Thus, the positive one shot pulse signal may beprovided to the gate of the transistor 59 to strongly pull down theStateBitOffGlobalIF node to the second voltage, responsive to thetransition (e.g., from the logic high level to the logic low level)StateBit signal to cause a negative one shot pulse signal on theStateBitOffGlobalIF node.

In the master die 13, the master active state information generator 29 ais coupled to the active state information path 25 a. As earliermentioned, the master active state information generator 29 a mayprovide an active output signal, responsive to an active state of themaster die 13, and further has a functionality of merging output signalsof the slave active state information generators 39 a, the slaveinactive state information generators 39 b and the master inactive stateinformation generator 29 b to provide a global state bit signalStateBitGlobal. The master inactive state information generator 29 b mayprovide an active signal (e.g., one negative shot pulse signal) for apredetermined period responsive to a transition of the state bit fromthe active state to an inactive state.

For example, the master active state information generator 29 a may bethe active state information generator 50 a. The description of the NANDcircuit 51 will not be repeated. The active state information generator50 a in the master die 13, as the active state information generator 29a, may have the AND circuit 55 configured to be enabled. The AND circuit55 may include a plurality of input nodes. One input node of theplurality of input nodes may be coupled to the StateBItGlobal node onthe active state information path 25 a and configured to receive asignal on the StateBitGlobal node and another input node of theplurality of input nodes may be coupled to the StateBitOffGlobalIF nodeon the inactive state information path 25 b and configured to receive asignal on the StateBitOffGlobalIF node. The AND circuit 55 may furtherprovide a logical product of the signal on the StateBitGlobal node andthe signal on the StateBitOffGlobalIF node as an output signal. Forexample, the AND circuit 55 may provide an inactive state (e.g., a logiclow level) at an output node responsive to the active state (e.g., alogic high level) of the StateBitGlobal signal and the negative pulse ofthe StateBitOffGlobalIF node at a transition of the StateBit signal ofany die from the active state to the inactive state. The NOR circuit 52may receive an active die identifier signal DieActive and the outputsignal of the AND circuit 55 and may further provide a logical NORoutput. The logical NOR output in an active state may cause thetransistor 54 to weakly pull down the StateBitGlobal node to the secondvoltage. Any transistor 53 in any die of the master die 13 and the slavedies 14 may set (e.g., pull up) the StateBitGlobal node of the activestate information path 25 a to the first voltage responsive to an activestate of the die. Otherwise, the StateBitGlobal node may be weaklypulled down to the inactive state.

For example, the master inactive state information generator 29 b may bethe inactive state information generator 50 b and the inactive stateinformation generator 50 b will not be repeated. Because theStateBitOffGlobalIf node in the inactive state information path 25 b maybe coupled to an input node of the AND circuit 55, negative one shotpulses caused by any of the transistors 59 having the strong drivingability to set the second voltage (e.g., pull down) in the masterinactive state information generator 29 b and the slave inactive stateinformation generators 39 b may be reflected on the StateBitOffGlobalIFnode.

FIG. 4D is a timing diagram of signals of the active state informationgenerators and the inactive state information generators in theplurality of dies, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure. As the StateBit signal on the master die 13 is activated atT1, the inverted StateBit signal provided to the NAND circuit 51 in themaster active state information generator 29 a which activates thetransistor 53 to strongly set (e.g., pull up) the StateBitGlobal node tothe first voltage, thus the StateBitGlobal node is activated. When theStateBit signal on the master die 13 transitions from an active statefrom an inactive state at T2, the transition of the StateBit signalcauses the one shot pulse generator 57 in the master inactive stateinformation generator 29 b to provide a positive one shot pulse on theStateBitOffPulse signal. Responsive to the positive one shot pulse onthe StateBitOffPulse signal, a negative one shot pulse may be providedon the StateBitOffGlobalIF node by the transistor 59 in the masterinactive state information generator 29 b. Due to the negative one shotpulse on the StateBitOffGlobalIF node, the StateBitGlobal node on themaster die 13 is deactivated.

As the StateBit signal on the slave die 14 is activated at T3, theinverted StateBit signal provided to the NAND circuit 51 in the slaveactive state information generator 39 a which activates the transistor53 to strongly set (e.g., pull up) the StateBitGlobal node to the firstvoltage, thus the StateBitGlobal node on the master die 13 is activated.When the StateBit signal on the slave die 14 transitions from an activestate from an inactive state at T4, the transition of the StateBitsignal causes the one shot pulse generator 57 in the slave inactivestate information generator 39 b to provide a positive one shot pulse onthe StateBitOffPulse signal. Responsive to the positive one shot pulseon the StateBitOffPulse signal, a negative one shot pulse may beprovided on the StateBitOffGlobalIF node on the master die 13 by thetransistor 59 in the slave inactive state information generator 39 b.Due to the negative one shot pulse on the StateBitOffGlobalIF node, theStateBitGlobal node on the master die 13 is deactivated.

As the StateBit signal on the master die 13 is activated at T5, theStateBitGlobal node is activated. As the StateBit signal on the slavedie 14 is activated at T6, the StateBitGlobal node maintains an activestate. When the StateBit signal on the master die 13 transitions from anactive state from an inactive state at T7, a positive one shot pulse isprovided on the StateBitOffPulse signal on the master die 13 and anegative one shot pulse is provided on the StateBitOffGlobalIF node onthe master die 13. However, the negative one shot pulse is provided onthe StateBitOffGlobalIF node is reflected on the StateBitGlobal node viathe transistor 54 with the weak driving ability to set the secondvoltage (e.g., pulling down) in the master active state informationgenerator 29 a on the master die 13, whereas the active StateBit signalon the slave die 14 is reflected on the StateBitGlobal node via thetransistor 53 with the strong driving ability to set (e.g., pull up) thefirst voltage in the slave active state information generator 39 a onthe slave die 14, thus the StateBitGlobal node maintains the activestate. When the StateBit signal on the slave die 14 transitions from theactive state from the inactive state at T8, the transition of theStateBit signal causes the StateBitGlobal node on the master die 13 tobe deactivated. Thus, the StateBitGlobal node may maintain an activestate when one of the StateBit signals on the plurality of dies isactive, regardless of another StateBit signal transitioning from theactive state from the inactive state.

Logic levels of signals used in the embodiments described the above aremerely examples. However, in other embodiments, combinations of thelogic levels of signals other than those specifically described in thepresent disclosure may be used without departing from the scope of thepresent disclosure.

Although this invention has been disclosed in the context of certainpreferred embodiments and examples, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that the inventions extend beyond the specificallydisclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses ofthe inventions and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. Inaddition, other modifications which are within the scope of thisinvention will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art based onthis disclosure. It is also contemplated that various combination orsub-combination of the specific features and aspects of the embodimentsmay be made and still fall within the scope of the inventions. It shouldbe understood that various features and aspects of the disclosedembodiments can be combined with or substituted for one another in orderto form varying mode of the disclosed invention. Thus, it is intendedthat the scope of at least some of the present invention hereindisclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodimentsdescribed above.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus comprising: a first die comprising afirst command address decoder circuit, a first active state informationgenerator and a first inactive state information generator; a second diecomprising a second command address decoder circuit, a second activestate information generator and a second inactive state informationgenerator; an active state information path coupled to the first activestate information generator and the second active state informationgenerator; and an inactive state information path coupled to the firstinactive state information generator and the second inactive stateinformation generator, wherein the first active state informationgenerator is configured to provide first active state information to theactive state information path; wherein the second active stateinformation generator is configured to provide second active stateinformation to the active state information path, wherein the firstinactive state information generator is configured to provide firstinactive state information to the inactive state information path, andwherein the second inactive state information generator is configured toprovide second inactive state information to the inactive stateinformation path.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first diefurther comprises: a first through electrode coupled to the first activestate information generator and the second active state informationgenerator; and a second through electrode coupled to the first inactivestate information generator and the second inactive state informationgenerator.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first active stateinformation generator is configured to provide the first active stateinformation responsive, at least in part, to a first state bit signalrepresenting an active state of the first die, wherein the firstinactive state information generator is configured to provide the firstinactive state information responsive, at least in part, to the firststate bit signal representing a transition of the first die from theactive state to an inactive state, wherein the second active stateinformation generator is configured to provide the second active stateinformation responsive, at least in part, to a second state bit signalrepresenting an active state of the second die, and wherein the secondinactive state information generator is configured to provide the secondinactive state information responsive, at least in part, to the secondstate bit signal representing a transition of the second die from theactive state to an inactive state.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, whereinthe first command address decoder circuit is configured to provide thefirst state bit signal responsive, at least in part, to a first commandand first address information related to the first die, and wherein thesecond command address decoder circuit is configured to provide thesecond state bit signal responsive, at least in part, to a secondcommand and second address information related to the second die.
 5. Anapparatus comprising: a plurality of slave dies, each of the slave diesincluding a command address decoder circuit, an inactive stateinformation generator, and an active state information generator; and amaster die including a command address decoder circuit, a master activestate information generator coupled to each of the active stategenerators of the plurality of slave dies via an active stateinformation path, and further including a master inactive stateinformation generator coupled to each of the inactive state generatorsof the plurality of slave dies via an inactive state information path,wherein the master active state information generator is configured toprovide active state information for the master die and the plurality ofslave dies, and wherein the master inactive state information generatoris configured to provide inactive state information for the master dieand the plurality of slave dies.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, whereineach of the active state information generators and the master activestate information generator is configured to provide an active signalwhen their respective die is in an active state as indicated by therespective command address decoder circuit, and wherein each of theinactive state generators and the master inactive state generator areconfigured to provide a pulse when their respective die transitions fromthe active state to an inactive state as indicated by the respectivecommand address decoder unit.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein eachof the active state information generators is configured to provide arespective slave active state signal for their respective slave die,wherein the master active state information generator is furtherconfigured to provide a master active state signal for the master die,and wherein the master active state generator is further configured toprovide a global active signal including a logical sum of each of theslave active state signals and the master active state signal.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 5, wherein each of the inactive state informationgenerators is configured to provide a respective slave inactive statesignal for their respective slave die, wherein the master inactive stateinformation generator is further configured to provide a master inactivestate signal for the master die, and wherein the master inactive stateinformation generator is further configured to provide a global inactivestate signal including a logical sum of each of the slave inactive statesignals and the master inactive signal.
 9. The apparatus of claim 5,wherein each of the plurality of slave dies is physically identical tothe master die.
 10. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the active stateinformation path and the inactive state information path each comprise afirst and second through electrode in each of the plurality of slavedies and the master die, each of the first through electrodes coupled tothe first through electrodes of adjacent dies, and each of the secondthrough electrodes coupled to the second through electrodes of theadjacent dies.
 11. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of theplurality of slave dies and the master die comprise a memory cell array.12. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of slavedies and the master die comprise a command address decoder circuitconfigured to transition the die to the active state in response a firstcommand signal and to transition the die to the inactive state inresponse to a second command signal.
 13. The apparatus of claim 5,wherein the master die further comprises one or more external terminalsconfigured to receive external signals, and wherein the master die isconfigured to provide the external signals to the plurality of slavedie.
 14. A method comprising: generating, for each die of a memorydevice, an active state information signal comprising an active signalwhen the die is in an active state as indicated by a command addressdecoder circuit of each of the dies; generating, for each of the dies ofthe memory device, an inactive state information signal comprising apulse whenever the die transitions to an inactive state as indicated bya command address decoder circuit of each of the dies; generating, atone of the dies, a global active state information signal comprising anactive signal when any of the dies is in the active state by combiningthe active state information signals; and generating, at one of thedies, a global inactive state information signal comprising a pulsewhenever any of the dies transitions from the active state to theinactive state by combining the inactive state information signals. 15.The method of claim 14, further comprising: providing a stack of memorydies; configuring one of the dies as a master die, wherein the masterdie is configured to provide the global active state information signaland the global inactive state information signal; and configuring theremaining dies as a plurality of slave dies.
 16. The method of claim 15,wherein the configuring one of the dies as the master die and theconfiguring the remaining dies as a plurality of slave dies comprisesassigning a unique identifier to each of the plurality of slave dies andto the master die.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the configuringone of the dies as the master die comprises configuring an active stategenerator of the master die as a master active state generator andconfiguring an inactive state generator of the master die as a masterinactive state generator.
 18. The method of claim 17, further comprisingreceiving the active state information signals and the inactive stateinformation signals at the master die, and providing the global activestate information signal with the master active state informationgenerator and providing the global inactive state information signalwith the master inactive state information generator.
 19. The method ofclaim 15, further comprising generating, at the master die, a clocksignal when the master die is in an active state and when the master dieis in an inactive state.
 20. The method of claim 14, further comprisingproviding an active die identifier signal and transitioning one or moreof the dies to the active state in response to the active die identifiersignal.